Set Your Own Salary

December 15, 2006 5:20 AM

Within the past year, I read an article about a corporation where employees set their own pay. Other functions are similarly innovative. I vaguely remember a connection to Brazil/Latin America. What is this company? Where can I find more?
posted by Korou to Work & Money (9 answers total)

You're not thinking of Mondragon? It is Spanish (Basque, actually), but according to Wikipedia it has been accused of moving factories to Latin America to cut workers' conditions by 'stealth'.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 5:25 AM on December 15, 2006

I think the company youre looking for is Semco.

(Wikipedia link to Ricardo Semler, the owner)
posted by Boobus Tuber at 5:36 AM on December 15, 2006

Best answer: No, he's thinking of Semco.
posted by NekulturnY at 5:38 AM on December 15, 2006

Best answer: Here's a PDF link to an article about the company.

And one from the Observer:

Who's in charge here? No one | Business | The Observer
posted by Boobus Tuber at 5:40 AM on December 15, 2006

That does indeed appear to be the case.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 5:40 AM on December 15, 2006

Response by poster: It would be interesting to hear about similar ventures.
posted by Korou at 5:43 AM on December 15, 2006

He wrote a book.
posted by smackfu at 6:37 AM on December 15, 2006

The book is very good - highly recommended. They tried just about every crazy strategy you can imagine and just barely avoided failure many times over.

I would also recommend Let My People Go Surfing if you are looking for more books about businesses outside the norm.
posted by rsanheim at 6:54 AM on December 15, 2006

Often mentioned alongside Semco are WL Gore and Associates (the people who make Gore-Tex, most famously). They have little or no hierarchy, and very flexible working practices. They are similar in structure, not to the point of choosing your own salary as far as I know.

WL Gore and Associates - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Fabric of Creativity- Fast Company
posted by Boobus Tuber at 7:11 AM on December 15, 2006